Franz Carr
Encyclopedia
Franz Carr is an English
former footballer. He was a pacy winger who never quite established himself as a regular in the top flight. After playing in England and Italy
he finished his career in the United States
, playing for Pittsburgh Riverhounds
.
Carr began his career with Blackburn Rovers
, but before making a first team appearance was signed for £25,000 rising to £100,000 by Nottingham Forest
in August 1984.
After arriving at Forest, Carr was seen as a hugely exciting and popular winger who, at his peak, was one of the fastest players off the mark. Mostly playing down the right wing, he was a regular target for midfielder Neil Webb
and striker Nigel Clough
to chip balls over the opposing left-back. He was highly exciting but lacked a good final ball, much to the ire of manager Brian Clough
. Clough described Carr in typical idiosyncratic fashion as the best bloody corner flag hitter in the country, if only that was where the net was. Despite this, Carr still contributed to Forest's Football League Cup
triumphs in 1989 and 1990 but his relationship with Clough soured after Clough locked Carr in the City Ground
boiler room after a particularly dire performance against Oldham Athletic in 1990.
However, he lost his place in the first team during the 1989-90 season
, managing just 14 league appearances and one goal. He joined relegation strugglers Sheffield Wednesday
on loan, making 12 goalless appearances in the First Division.
He featured 13 times for Forest in the 1990-91 season
, scoring twice, though his part in their run to the FA Cup final (which they lost to Tottenham Hotspur
) was minimal. He also had a loan spell with West Ham United
, playing three times in their Second Division promotion campaign.
Carr transferred to Newcastle United
on 13 June 1991 for £250,000, playing under Osvaldo Ardiles
. He scored on his debut as part of a 2–1 loss away to Charlton Athletic
, with his second goal coming against Plymouth Argyle
in September. A knee injury forced him to miss the majority of the season, returning to play the final three games, at which point Kevin Keegan
had taken charge. Carr was sold in January 1993 to Sheffield United
for £180,000 after being replaced by Rob Lee
.
He continued to play in the Premier League with Sheffield United, Leicester City
and Aston Villa
before winding down his career with a move to Reggiana and short spells with Bolton Wanderers
and West Bromwich Albion
.
Despite only playing three league games in two seasons at Aston Villa, he scored the winning goal for them in their FA Cup quarter-final against his old club Nottingham Forest in the 1995-96 season, enabling them to reach the semi-finals (where they were beaten by Liverpool).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer. He was a pacy winger who never quite established himself as a regular in the top flight. After playing in England and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
he finished his career in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, playing for Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
.
Carr began his career with Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, but before making a first team appearance was signed for £25,000 rising to £100,000 by Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
in August 1984.
After arriving at Forest, Carr was seen as a hugely exciting and popular winger who, at his peak, was one of the fastest players off the mark. Mostly playing down the right wing, he was a regular target for midfielder Neil Webb
Neil Webb
Neil John Webb is an English former footballer and television pundit. He played as a midfielder and defender between 1980 and 1997 notably for Portsmouth, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United...
and striker Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough
Nigel Howard Clough is an English former footballer and the current manager of Derby County. Playing predominately as a striker, but later in his career was used as a midfielder, Clough was capped by England 14 times in the early 1990s....
to chip balls over the opposing left-back. He was highly exciting but lacked a good final ball, much to the ire of manager Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
. Clough described Carr in typical idiosyncratic fashion as the best bloody corner flag hitter in the country, if only that was where the net was. Despite this, Carr still contributed to Forest's Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
triumphs in 1989 and 1990 but his relationship with Clough soured after Clough locked Carr in the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
boiler room after a particularly dire performance against Oldham Athletic in 1990.
However, he lost his place in the first team during the 1989-90 season
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
, managing just 14 league appearances and one goal. He joined relegation strugglers Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
on loan, making 12 goalless appearances in the First Division.
He featured 13 times for Forest in the 1990-91 season
1990-91 in English football
The 1990–91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Arsenal won the league. Runners-up spot was achieved by Liverpool, who had led the table for much of the first half of the season but had been shell-shocked in February by the sudden resignation of manager...
, scoring twice, though his part in their run to the FA Cup final (which they lost to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
) was minimal. He also had a loan spell with West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, playing three times in their Second Division promotion campaign.
Carr transferred to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
on 13 June 1991 for £250,000, playing under Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo César Ardiles , often referred to in Britain as Ossie Ardiles, is a football coach, pundit and former midfielder who won the 1978 World Cup as part of the Argentine national team...
. He scored on his debut as part of a 2–1 loss away to Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, with his second goal coming against Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
in September. A knee injury forced him to miss the majority of the season, returning to play the final three games, at which point Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
had taken charge. Carr was sold in January 1993 to Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
for £180,000 after being replaced by Rob Lee
Rob Lee
Robert Martin "Rob" Lee is a retired English footballer who played the majority of his career for Charlton Athletic and Newcastle United.-Charlton Athletic:...
.
He continued to play in the Premier League with Sheffield United, Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
and Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
before winding down his career with a move to Reggiana and short spells with Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
.
Despite only playing three league games in two seasons at Aston Villa, he scored the winning goal for them in their FA Cup quarter-final against his old club Nottingham Forest in the 1995-96 season, enabling them to reach the semi-finals (where they were beaten by Liverpool).